Under Stephen Harper, household debt has exploded. The average household debt-to-income ratio (the amount of debt the average Canadian household owes for every dollar of their annual disposable income) has risen from $1.31 to $1.64 -- which is where the United States was before the housing market crashed.

The banks aren't going to innovative. It wasn't Blockbuster that disrupted the movie rental business. It wasn't the record companies that revolutionized the music industry's business model. If we're going to find a solution, we need more startups introducing compelling alternatives.

Consumer debt has become a major concern in Canada. The stress of dealing with unmanageable debt can be overwhelming for most consumers. Between creditor calls, collection threats and living paycheque to paycheque, "get out of debt fast" opportunities can be very appealing. But are they too good to be true?